


Scentilations, Inc.

by Soramimi_Keki



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Attempted Sexual Assault, F/M, Feels, Knotting, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, Manipulative Family Dynamics, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mating Rituals, Mildly Dubious Consent, Scenting, Shameless Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-08
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-06-06 23:20:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15205691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soramimi_Keki/pseuds/Soramimi_Keki
Summary: Romance...a word omega Rey Johnson is not sure exists in the world of alphas and omegas. Sure, she's read stories and viewed films about how there's nothing like mating with an alpha, but she is unsure of how to explore her omega needs off suppressants and willingly go through her first heat. Hook-up apps? Negative. Bar-hopping? Not her style. Luckily, an annoying pop-up ad leads her to Scentilations-the destination for the eager alphas and omegas of Chandrila to find their most compatible potential mates.





	1. The Discovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for checking out my first A/B/O fic!   
> Many thanks to AlbaStarGazer whose work The Mating Service inspired me to try writing in this world that scared me at first but now I can't get enough of!  
> Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14637444/chapters/33831306

 

The more alpha profiles 22-year-old Rey Johnson viewed on the HuntR app, the more she was turned off to the idea of finding someone at random to share her first heat with.

_Faceless muscle pic… **Will-Male-Age 31:**_ **_Looking for sexy omega who can take this knot all week long._**

_Dick pic… **Darius-Male-Age 23: Virile alpha seeks tight omega cunt to pound into submission. Hotties only.**_

_Asshole pic? **Kevin-Male-Age 22: Submissive omega desiring huge alpha cock to fill me with cum.** How the hell did That one get filtered in with the alphas in my search results?_

Frustrated that her Friday night was proving to be more and more uneventful, Rey powered off her phone’s screen and buried her face in her pillow in defeat. _Every one of these guys is a shallow idiot_ she mused. As an omega, she was certainly curious about what sex with an alpha would be like. Hell, every piece of erotic art, literature, and film she had viewed touted the same themes over and over—omega goes into heat, omega needs big, strong alpha to see them through heat, alpha knots omega, alpha claims omega, omega bears alpha’s children, rinse, repeat.

Rey knew how the alpha/omega love story was meant to go, however, she couldn’t get past the notion that the relationships only seemed to exist due to a biological imperative. If alphas and omegas are merely slaves to their hormones, pheromones, and heat/rut cycles, what further depth could come from their relationships?

Despite her growing curiosity about sex with alphas, Rey Johnson was a romantic at heart. It began when she was a young girl growing up in a Chandrila orphanage. She was often left to her own devices, being the only child of her age group, and filled most of her alone time with reading. Rey devoured any book she could get her hands on, and especially found herself drawn to the stories of love overcoming all obstacles.

Her love of reading and analyzing the themes within her favorite tales led her towards a degree in comparative literature which she had just earned that Spring. She was lucky enough to have been offered a full-time job as an Editorial Assistant at Resistance Publishing—the publishing house where she had worked part-time as an intern her last two years of school.

Now that she was finished with school and felt her work life was stable, Rey wanted to explore the world of alphas and to see if the experiences were everything she had read about. She had been on heavy doses of heat suppressants since she first presented as an omega at age 17 and she had just stopped taking them a few weeks after she settled into her new apartment complex.

Rey had never been in an environment where she felt safe to be off her suppressants, so she made sure to choose a secure place to live—a specialized housing unit for betas, unmated omegas and mated alphas/omegas and their children. The building contained a specialized ventilation system to filter out the tenants’ pheromones, soundproofed units for experiencing heats more privately, and a state-of-the-art security system designed to keep unwelcome predatory alphas away.

She had spent several nights since moving into her apartment wondering if she should try to experience her first heat on her own to better understand her body and what it would be like. As much as she could see the wisdom in this, the hopeless romantic within craved the over-the-top tales of alpha passion that made red-blooded omegas swoon.

 _There has to be a safer way to find a mate besides these ridiculous apps_ she pondered as she navigated back to the HuntR app. Quickly scrolling past the conga line of dicks and muscled bodies (and assholes?) she had already viewed, Rey held out hope that someone’s profile would catch her eye.

She counted down dates in her head, startled to realize that the anticipated date of her heat per her doctor’s assessment was in a mere two days. Rey began to feel dread welling up inside her as she faced the prospect of navigating her first heat alone. _Alright, Johnson, you’re either going to have to settle for one of these idiots or risk being social out in the world and catching a random alpha’s attention._

Rey groaned when she reached the end of the results list for heterosexual male alphas seeking heterosexual female omegas. As she was preparing to plug her phone up for the night, she saw an add pop up on the HuntR app. Normally, ads drove her nuts and she had sworn she would not buy the paid version of an app she was not even sure if she would use. But on this night, this add caught her attention.

 ** _Scentilations, Inc.-Your forever mate awaits you..._** _This looks super spammy…_ Rey grumbled. However, her curiosity got the better of her as she was intrigued by the knotted heart logo with the alpha and omega symbols. _What do I have to lose?_ she thought as she poked the ad with her index finger. She was suddenly navigated to the company’s webpage where pictures of what seemed to be a classy looking hotel greeted her.

She stared open-mouthed as a slideshow of the company’s facility autoplayed. _Whatever the hell this place is, it is amazing, but what do they do?_ she wondered as she searched for an FAQ page. She felt a surge of accomplishment as she found it and frantically read everything she could find.

-

**_ What is Scentilations? _ **

_Scentilations is the premier matchmaking service for the modern alpha and omega. We blend compatibility matching services with pheromone sampling to assure a connection at all levels._

**_ What are your values? _ **

_At Scentilations, we recognize and appreciate the power and processes of alpha and omega biology, however, we also firmly believe in the importance of compatibility and more grounded emotions to ensure lifelong happiness with a partner._

**_ Is this another heat hotel? _ **

_We have alpha and omega-friendly hotel suites available to paying clients who have completed our processes, however, we do not rent out facility rooms to non-clients._

**_ How does the process work? _ **

_When clients first arrive at reception, they are taken to a private meeting room with one of our trained AO consultants. A brief interview is conducted where the consultant asks what the client is looking for in a mate. This data is entered into our database. The client is then given a pheromone-amplification pill to temporarily increase the strength and concentration of pheromones produced by the scent glands and is given multiple cotton balls to press against the scent glands. The samples are bottled and labeled with the client’s ID number where they will be stored._

_Next, the consultant will generate a list of potential mates for the client based on their stated preferences. The consultant will gather the bottled pheromones that correspond to the list of potential mates and bring them for the client to sample. The client will let the consultant know which sample(s) they found to be most attractive. There are two general outcomes:_

  1. _The client did not feel comfortable with any of the sampled scents-This does not mean game over! The samples provided by the client will be held until the scent fades (typically after 6 to 8 months) where incoming clients will have the possibility of choosing them._
  2. _The client indicated a favorite sample of those provided-Congratulations! Now it is time to arrange a meeting with the potential mate._



_The consultant will contact the chosen potential mate and coordinate with the client to determine a day and time to meet. We do not provide photographs to either the client or potential mate in advance as we prefer to relationship-build from the ground up. On the day of the meeting, the client and potential mate will be taken to one of the facility’s private meeting rooms. These areas are designed to be intimate for getting to know one another. Most rooms contain a dining area and a small sitting area. Call buttons are available in the room to order food and drink from the facility’s restaurant if desired._

_If both parties wish to further pursue their relationship, alpha and omega-friendly hotel suites are available for reservations. Our soundproofed rooms feature a double-bed, en suite kitchen, shower, soaker tub, and self-contained ventilation for your comfort and privacy._

**_ What do I need to bring with me? _ **

_For first-time clients, please come prepared to discuss your wants and needs for a mate. For sample collection to be effective, please refrain from taking any suppressants or blockers at least two days prior to your scheduled appointment. After a meeting has been scheduled with your potential mate, you may want to bring a suitcase with needed items in case you decide to pursue the relationship further._

**_ How much does the service cost? _ **

_At Scentilations, we accept cash, check, and all major credit cards. There is a $75.00 consultation fee and a $25.00 laboratory fee the first day of service. Beyond this, costs are a la carte if you choose to partake in food or drink from our facility’s restaurant or reserve a suite for you and your potential mate. Full pricing information is available on the website._

_-_

“Holy shit…this is amazing,” Rey breathed aloud. She turned around in bed so that she was facing the wall of bookshelves she had lovingly installed with permission from her landlord. Thumbing through the titles on the shelf nearest her, she finally found her accounting notebook where she tracked her budget each month. She was by no means rich, but her full scholarship and steady employment had put her far ahead of many of her graduated peers.

 _Let’s see…that consultation and laboratory fee will be no problem. But let’s just see how much a room would set me back if I needed it._ Rey navigated back to the webpage and located the pricing menu.

**Economy Suite…$95.00 per night**

**Deluxe Suite….…$150.00 per night**

**Luxury Suite….…$300.00 per night**

Rey suddenly recalled why she hated staying in hotels. _The economy pricing isn’t too awful, but goddamn, priced per night, that’s still about $1,900 more than I pay for rent each month._ She told herself that this would not be a regular thing and that she could spare to splurge just this once.

Feeling slightly less anxious, Rey looked up their hours on the Contact Us page realizing that it was almost midnight. _They don’t open for business until 7:00am, but their scheduling line is 24 hours. Go on before you chicken out_ she goaded herself.

Tapping the listed number, Rey held her breath as the phone rang.

“Good evening, Scentilations, this is Robert how may I assist you?” a pleasant male voice asked her.

“Umm…yes, good evening. I saw an ad for your service and hoped I could try to schedule an appointment for tomorrow sometime. I realize it’s cutting it close, but I think my heat is about to start and I would like to be seen as soon as possible,” she rambled nervously.

“Yes, ma’am, Miss…”

“Rey. Johnson.”

“Miss Johnson, I would be happy to help you with that. Let me check to see when our consultants have availability tomorrow.”

“Great, thank you!”

Rey flopped her head back onto her fluffy pillow in relief and watched her ceiling fan go round and round as she waited for a reply.

“Okay, Miss Johnson, it appears that we do have one appointment slot available tomorrow for 9:30am. Will this work for you?” he asked.

“That would be perfect!” she breathed.

“Excellent, I will schedule you for 9:30am tomorrow morning. Your consultant will be Jessika. Now, have you been off any suppressants and blockers for at least a day and a half?”

“Yes I have been off for two weeks now.”

“Well then, that is all the information we need. Thank you, Miss Johnson. We look forward to seeing you soon,” Robert concluded politely.

 _I’m doing this. I’m really doing this. Holyfuckingshit_ Rey’s panicked brain supplied. She quickly leapt up from her bed and scurried to the bathroom to wash her face in a pitiful attempt to calm herself. As she splashed the cold water on her face, she allowed herself to close her eyes and imagine her alpha.

 _“Yes…That’s my good little omega. Come for me, sweetheart,”_ her fantasy alpha whispered in her ear. She shivered, whether from the cold tap water or her sudden arousal, she couldn’t be sure. _So much for being calm._ Rey made her way back to her bed, nested the way she preferred to get comfortable, and turned off her bedside lamp—allowing her fantasy alpha to make another appearance until she finally succumbed to sleep.


	2. The Consultation (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into Ben's consultation session 10 years prior to the start of our story.

**_ 10 Years Ago _ **

Ben Solo was a fucking mess—a 20-year-old, hot, hormonal mess. Each moment he stood outside the glass entryway of Scentilations, he felt one second closer to puking. **_Why the fuck are you here?_** he berated himself. His hands fisted in the pockets of his coat, losing sensation due to nerves and the unusually chilly spring morning yet trying desperately to keep something in his grasp.

He felt overly emotional, a cocktail of fear and irrational anger swirling through his veins as he paced back and forth. This was his first time off his alpha blockers in 5 years since he first presented, yet he vividly remembered the sensations from being a moody, teenage, hormonal creature. Ben had ignored the doctors’ and his mother’s recommendations that he go off them periodically to let his endocrine system recalibrate. He was a little repulsed by the idea of ruts and couldn’t help desiring an epic relationship like the characters in his favorite books had.  

******

Ben grew up in the world of literature. His alpha mother, Leia Organa-Solo, ran the most successful publishing house in Chandrila and his beta father, Han Solo, was an on-again off-again literary agent. Since he first learned to read, he devoured anything his parents brought home, especially enjoying discussing his favorite parts of the manuscripts with his mother. Being a voracious reader had not only instilled empathy within Ben, but it had allowed his ideals of romance and relationships to blossom.

He had always been fascinated with the idea of finding his soulmate, but when it came to the act of searching, he couldn’t seem to muster up enough courage. At family dinner a few weeks prior, Leia took the dilemma that was Ben’s social life into her own hands. Clever as always, she waited until Han was taking the dinner plates to the kitchen to sit in the chair right next to Ben and gazed at him over the top of her black reading glasses with her knowing stare.

“Ben. You have got to get your nose out of the books and start dating. I have been patient with you long enough, but goddammit, son, I want grandchildren someday!” she growled, ever the alpha.

Ben responded to this declaration by spraying the water he had been drinking all over himself and the dining room table. “Shit, mom! What’s Really been on your mind?” he recovered, rolling his eyes at her and wiping his mouth with his sleeve. He had learned long ago that fellow alpha or not, he could not cross Leia Organa-Solo when she was on the warpath.

“I am deadly serious Benjamin Solo. You review manuscripts all day at work, you take them home with you if you enjoy them and can’t put them down, and on the weekends, you read your own books until you fall asleep with your light on. When does that leave you time to get out there in the world and actually live?”

He sighed, mortified by her criticism but knowing at the heart of things, she was absolutely right. “I know…I just, I have such high expectations of what I think I want, but when you’re an alpha, the only thing that matters to the rest of the world is finding an omega, fucking them senseless, and raising a pack of children ad nauseum. I mean…how can you think clearly and find someone you legitimately _like_ if it’s nonstop biological warfare out there?”

Leia paused, absorbing his musings. “Son, you won’t know what you really want until you actually experience being around others outside of work. I never in my wildest dreams would have thought your father would be my mate. He is a beta—not exactly who I was encouraged to be with, especially back then, but we said damn the rest of the world and loved each other anyway. My own hormones may have driven me insane around your father, but I was always in control. Your biology just deepens the connection you choose to pursue.”

Ben reflected on his mother’s words from that evening and resolved to actually do something about his miserable excuse of a love life. He downloaded several mate-finder apps, but every profile he viewed made him want to tuck tail and run. The outright explicit profile descriptions designed to snare a horny alpha only made him blush and get even more uncomfortable over the whole concept. Disgusted, he turned to his favorite search engine to look for any possible alternatives to the quick hook-up and knot services.

By late night, his eyes were drooping and his brain was crammed full of catchy slogans, promises of love, and a brief detour to research what knotting felt and looked like (supposedly the most primal, fulfilling, fantastic part of being an alpha, though some of the pictures and videos made his eyes bulge out of his head).

Based on his findings, he promised himself that he would look into the services of a company that married classic compatibility matching with biological compatibility. Per their instructions, he had stopped taking his alpha blockers, scheduled a consultation appointment, and prayed to every deity he could name that he would not absolutely embarrass himself.

******

A week after his midnight discovery, Ben finally stood outside the door of Scentilations, Inc. Taking a deep breath, he pushed through the glass doors and strode into the lobby of the building. As he stepped in, he was impressed by the high ceilings, the comfortable natural light from the many windows, and the gleaming, sophisticated reception desk.

“Good morning, welcome to Scentilations. My name is Kirsten, how can I assist you?” the receptionist smiled warmly.

 _A beta…_ Ben noted as he covertly caught her scent. He stepped towards the woman who wore a fitted white blouse embroidered with the Scentilations logo and had her dark blonde hair loose around her shoulders. “Umm… Yes, I’m Ben Solo,” he replied inelegantly.

“Do you have an appointment with us today?” she helped him focus.

“Yes. At 8:00,” he gulped. **_Seriously, what the fuck are you doing here?_**

“Alright, Mr. Solo. Let me pull up your information and we’ll get you set up with your consultant. If you have a seat over there, we will come get you in just a moment,” she gestured.

“Thanks,” Ben mumbled as he shuffled over to the waiting area. He sank heavily into one of the armchairs and fought against the barrage of thoughts his self-loathing mind supplied. He began shaking, anxiety and underlying hostility nearly overwhelming him as he waited.

After five minutes of enduring his own growing insanity, a woman strode from a doorway behind the reception counter who wore a fitted black blouse embroidered with the Scentilations logo and had her auburn curls pulled into an elegant bun.

“Ben?”

“I’m Ben,” he shot straight out of his seat, his heart still racing.

“Yes, you are,” she smiled at him knowingly. “And from the looks of things, you’re having some trouble adjusting to being off your alpha blockers.”

As he scented the air around her, he was startled to discover that she was an alpha too. “Yeah…uh…I’ve never been off them since I presented,” he mumbled, the tips of his prominent ears burning red.

“Well, Ben, that’s not uncommon, but it can make things more difficult for you. Let’s go on to my office and maybe have a nice cup of tea to calm you down a bit before the consultation, hmm?”

“That would be really nice, actually,” he sighed.

“Great! I’m Jyn, by the way—Jyn Erso. It’s so nice to meet you. Come on, let’s get you situated,” she guided him back into the office suite behind the reception area.

Jyn’s office was small with warm-colored wood tones and minimal décor. He felt slightly more comfortable as he nestled into the chair she gestured for him to take across from her computer as she closed the office door, but he still felt jittery and sick to his stomach.

Ben watched as she crossed to the small countertop in the corner where an electric tea kettle was already steaming and prepared two cups of tea. She skillfully guided them back to the desk and placed the cup and saucer in front of each of their places at her desk. Ben couldn’t help but be distracted by the thin wisps of steam rising from the darkening mug.

Sensing his nerves, Jyn allowed them to sit in silence until they were able to drink their tea together. Ben almost immediately felt calmer after just a few sips of the tea. “What the hell is in this stuff?” he marveled.

Jyn chuckled as she took another sip from her own cup. “It’s an herbal tea known to have soothing effects on alphas,” she stated matter-of-factly. “I know how difficult not feeling in control of yourself is. Especially in your case, since this is your first time off.”

“Sorry if it’s rude, but I kind of noticed that you’re an alpha too,” Ben stared into his cup.

“It’s not rude, it’s accurate,” she smiled. “Yes, I am an alpha. I typically assist alpha clients exclusively. And speaking of, are you feeling enough of yourself to answer a few of the introductory questions I need?”

“I’m getting there, but I can handle it I think,” he assessed himself.

“Great! Ok, let’s see, we already have your address from when you made an appointment so, I guess two of the most important parts: do you have a preferred gender for a partner and do you have a preferred partner designation?”

Ben thought through both carefully. He was not averse to the idea of a male partner, but he had only really felt stirrings of attraction to females both in the world and in his readings. As for designation, he was lost, especially after seeing how his mother defied the expectations set for her by society.

“I think I would prefer a female omega partner,” he finally replied. **_Alphas and omegas are supposedly destined to be together, right? And they can be soul-bonded. What’s more romantic than that?_**

“Great!” Jyn made notes on her clipboard. “Alright, for a few more preference questions, could you tolerate a partner who smokes or partakes in recreational drug use?”

“I mean…no judgments, but I think I would prefer no for both. Smoke really hurts my nose and I kind of feel drugs are used as an escape from reality. I would hope reality would be stable and happy enough without that kind of thing.”

“Fair enough, this is about what you’re looking for after all,” she smiled. “Alright, what are your stances on marriage and children? Are these things you would eventually want from a partner?”

“Yes, definitely,” he responded without hesitation, though his face burned red slightly when Jyn made eye contact with him. “I just, have always liked the idea of being connected to someone in that way. And I really do like kids. Not to mention my mother would probably disown me if I didn’t make her a grandmother some day.”

Jyn laughed understandingly, “Ah yes…the vicious grandmother-to-be, a fearsome creature indeed. Okay, and the last of this set, would you wish to be part of a polyamorous relationship?”

“Poly…you mean, like multiple partners?”

She tilted her head to the side, “Not entirely. Some clients feel incomplete in a traditional binary relationship and feel that an additional partner better rounds out their relationships and needs. It may or may not be sexual in nature.”

Ben thought on this, quickly realizing that it had never occurred to him that such relationships existed. “Well, this is the first I’m hearing about this, but I think I would prefer to have just the one partner. I’m pretty inexperienced and just thinking about dating and getting to know One person is terrifying,” he lost himself in his tea once again.

“And that’s fine, Ben,” she paused, assessing his mental state. “I’m sensing that you are panicking a little. Do you want to talk through what’s going through your head?”

Ben shook his head no. “I’m just anxious to see how this pans out is all.”

Jyn smiled, “Well, the good news is that we are nearing the end of the compatibility questions. You want to finish them up quick-fire style?”

Ben returned her smile, “Sure. Let’s go.”

Jyn settled back into her chair with her clipboard and kept them going one after the other for around 30 minutes. The questions included:

  * Describe your ideal partner. **_Kind. Adventurous. Compassionate._**
  * What is the single most important aspect for a relationship to be successful? **_Complete trust in the other person and in each other._**
  * In a relationship, would sharing or sacrificing make you feel happier? **_Sharing—everything I am, everything I have, totally and completely._**
  * If you’re having a bad day, would you want a partner to leave you alone or spend time with you and cheer you up? **_Being alone has its times, but I’m absolutely rotten when I’m upset and alone. I need someone to spend time with me, to try to get out of my headspace._**
  * How many sexual partners have you had in the past? **_Absolutely none, you fucking loser. No girlfriends, no boyfriends, even precious little self-loving._**
  * How important do you feel sexual chemistry is to a relationship? **_Well if what mom said is any indication, it’s the icing on the cake, but I guess that would make for a pretty damn delicious cake, so… yes, very important._**



“Alright, great! That is the end of this portion of the day and it Is the most difficult part so congratulations!” Jyn smiled encouragingly. “Talking about your wants and needs is never particularly easy, but you have a better idea of what you want in a partner than many clients I see.”

“Well that’s a relief,” he sighed. “So…all that’s left is the pheromone collection, right?”

“It’s good to see someone did their research. Yes, Ben. Now, the collection phase takes about 50 minutes. When you are comfortable and ready, I will bring the materials, explain the process, and give you some privacy.”

“I guess let’s go ahead and do this,” he told her. **_Before you lose your nerve._**

“Ok. I’ll be right back then. Feel free to use the restroom over there if you’d like,” she said as she rose from her chair to leave the room.

Deciding to take her up on her offer, he bounded over the bathroom to relieve himself of the tea, to stretch his legs, and to try to walk off some of his alpha jitters that were beginning to resurface. He was pacing a pathway on Jyn’s office floor when she returned carrying a tray of supplies.

“Alright then, let’s get started,” she said, gesturing for them both to reclaim their seats. “First of all, I have entered all of your information and compatibility preferences in our database, and currently, I did not find another client with a high enough compatibility percentage for you. Typically before this next part begins, we would bring you sample scents of omega clients. As we did not see a match today, we will not be performing this part of the process today.”

“Oh…” he mumbled, slightly defeated.

“There’s nothing to worry about. We are still a very new company and our client base is growing every week. If your future mate is out there, we will find them, Ben. Chin up! We will have Your samples after today and some lucky omega is going to snatch you up,” she grinned.

His cheeks reddened, and he nodded for her to continue. Jyn next held up a red pill and offered it to him with a small glass of water. “For this first step, you will need to take this alpha-specified pheromone-amplification pill. This allows us to collect more potent pheromone samples to ensure that the scents will remain detectable for the preferred storage time of 8-9 months. If you’d go ahead and take this, please, it can begin to activate while I explain the next steps.”

Ben obediently took the pill she offered and settled back into his chair. After a few moments, he could feel a slight tingling sensation beginning to build in the scent glands on either side of his neck beneath his jawline.

“Okay. At this point, I will queue up our collection tutorial video that will help you with the timing for each sample. I will leave you alone, but please press this call button if you need anything at all,” Jyn reassured him.

“Oh. Alright, thanks,” he nodded as she turned her laptop screen to face him. As she let the office door close behind her, the tingling sensation in his scent glands had rapidly turned to a burning sensation. He took notice of his heavy alpha scent quickly permeating the room. **_How in the hell can they stand swimming in this sea of pheromones all day?! And these are ultra-strong ones too!_**

He glanced around the room and did notice a special framing around the high-tech ceiling vents and realized the space was likely designed to filter out and neutralize the scents after a time. Turning his attention back to the laptop, he clicked the play video button and settled in to listen, trying to tune out the white-hot heat radiating from his neck.

The process seemed simple enough. A series of 8 cotton balls were provided to collect 8 copies of his scent. The video instructed him to hold the first cotton ball against his left scent gland and rotate it every 30 seconds for 5 minutes. When the timer dinged, he was instructed to place the cotton ball in the numbered glass vial **_(My client ID number?)_** , seal it, and repeat the process with his right scent gland.

After 4 repetitions of left gland/right gland, the video instructed him to take the dose of his alpha blocker or omega suppressant that had been provided on the tray and to finish the glass of water as he would need to replenish his fluids. After 10 minutes, Ben began to feel like himself again. His thoughts were clearer, his scent was more muted, and he no longer felt like puking. He smiled to himself, amused that he had been terrified by this whole process.

Jyn re-entered the office and picked up on his relief, “Not so bad then, hmm?”

“Not so bad. Thank you so much for your help today,” he expressed his gratitude.

“You have been a model client,” she beamed. “We will reach out to you if you have been matched with an omega. Now we just wait.”

“I suppose so. Thank you again, and hopefully see you soon,” he smiled shyly.

“Until then, Mr. Solo.”

**_Alright, universe, let’s not keep me waiting too long._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi on my new currently empty Tumblr:
> 
> https://soramimi-keki.tumblr.com


	3. The Consultation (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back in the present, Rey completes her consultation session at Scentilations.

 

__

_ Present Day _

At 9:28 in the morning, a nerve-shot Rey’s Uber dropped her outside the sophisticated driveway of Scentilations, Inc. She absolutely hated running late, but the universe seemed to conspire against her on arguably one of the most important days of her life.

* * *

 

Her phone was apparently not placed just so on the wireless charging pad and the battery had drained all the way down during the night. As such, her alarm had not gone off at 8:00 and she was instead awakened at 8:34 by her enormous Maine Coone cat Chewie who was sitting on her chest and screaming in her face for breakfast.

Upon realizing the time from her wall clock, Rey bounded from underneath the covers uttering a string of shits, fucks, and goddammits, and buried a very pissed off furball of energy under her comforter in the process. He emerged from the tomb of blankets with his ears pushed back in annoyance and began to groom himself to regain some dignity.

“Sorry, Chewie!” she apologized as she hastily dropped a scoop of kibble into his bowl, pieces ricocheting across the room. The longhaired massive cat huffed in annoyance and skulked across the room to clean up her mess while Rey quickly moved her phone back into position on the charging plate. She took a shower in a personal best time of 53 seconds and dashed out to check on her phone’s progress while she brushed her teeth in her towel-clad ensemble.

_Fuck fuck fuck. Of course this would happen today!_ she screamed internally. _Let me see if I have enough juice to schedule an Uber._ Leaving the phone on the charger, she was able to navigate to the Uber app and schedule a pickup for 9:00. Sighing in relief, she set to making herself look presentable for her remaining time.

Rey normally preferred to wear her hair down, but her scent glands had started feeling extremely sensitive the past few days and she wanted to avoid any unnecessary stimulation. She arranged her freshly dried hair into a wispy bun, put on her favorite light purple blouse and paired it with a charcoal pencil skirt. She admired the basic effect in her closet’s mirrored door, until she spotted her face. _I look like I got about 2 minutes of sleep last night_ she groaned. Glancing at the clock, she decided she had enough time to fix the dark circles under her eyes and brighten up her face with her favorite products.

As she put on the finishing touches, Rey heard her phone vibrating on the nightstand and sprinted to answer it. “Hello?” she panted.

“Ms. Johnson?” a male voice asked.

“Yes, that’s me,” she answered, catching her breath.

“My name is James from Uber and I am on the way to your address.”

“Great! I will be ready!”

* * *

 

After what felt like the longest car ride of her life, Rey arrived with two minutes to spare and hastily thanked her Uber driver. She gathered up her nerves and pushed her way into the spacious lobby. She was immediately waved over by the receptionist at the desk.

“Good morning, welcome to Scentilations. My name is Samantha, how can I assist you?” the white-clad receptionist smiled cheerfully.

“Good morning, my name is Rey Johnson and I have an appointment at 9:30 with…Jessika?”

“Yes, it’s nice to meet you, Ms. Johnson. Let me pull up your information and let Jessika know you are here. If you have a seat over there, she will come get you in just a moment,” she pointed at the nearby waiting area.

“Thank you,” she said as she found herself a comfortable chair. _It’s happening. I’m here. No backing out now_ she chanted to herself. Despite the pep talk, Rey felt an unbidden sense of panic begin to take root in her stomach. _What the hell is the matter with me?_ she wondered as her breaths quickened.

A woman with a kind face strode from a doorway behind the reception counter who wore a fitted black blouse embroidered with the Scentilations logo and whose glossy black curls rested neatly on her shoulders.

“Rey?”

“Here!” Rey raised her hand, an embarrassing flashback to grade school roll calls.

The woman flashed an amused smile as she crossed the room to shake her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Rey. I’m your consultant, Jessika. I specialize in assisting our omega clients.”

“Hel…hello,” Rey stammered. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why I’m reacting this way.”

“Have you ever been off of your suppressants?” Jessika asked, concern in her kind eyes.

“No. Never,” Rey shrugged.

“Well, what you are experiencing is a completely normal response. As omegas get closer to the start of the heat cycle, shortness of breath, feelings of panic or terror, and an intense need to nest are very common. Biologically, this is intended to instill a sense of desperation in omegas so that they are more likely to seek out and find a mate to bring back to their nest.”

Rey stared at her consultant, her pupils blown wide in fear.

“It is very new if you have never experienced these sensations before, but that’s why I am here. I will make sure that we find your compatible match and that your wants and needs are discussed and addressed up front. You do not have to be a slave to your biology. There are options available. You are not alone, Rey,” Jessika reached out to grasp her hand.

Rey welcomed the kind touch and was oddly soothed by the warmth of her hand and Jessika’s thumb lightly resting on her wrist.

“Let’s head back to my office. I have a couple of things to help you get settled in,” Jessika said quietly as she guided Rey back into the office suite behind the reception area.

“Have a seat and I have a few things for you,” she crossed the room to remove a fluffy blanket from a warming cabinet and returned to wrap it around Rey’s shoulders. “This should help you feel calmer while we talk.”

Rey was amazed at how quickly the warmth enveloped her. She gently rubbed her cheek against the soft fabric on her shoulder and felt herself comfortably settling into the chair. Jessika returned a moment later with a small throw pillow that she presented to Rey, asking her to try hugging it to her chest. Rey did as she was bidden and sighed in contentment at the sensation of holding onto the pillow.

“Pheromones are odd things indeed,” Jessika considered. “May I take your hand again?” she asked.

Rey nodded, removing one of her hands from the confines of her blanket. Jessika assumed the same peculiar grasp she had earlier, her thumb grazing over the sensitive skin at Rey’s wrist. “You’re checking my pulse,” she realized out loud.

“Very perceptive. Yes, I wanted to see how you are settling in. You are significantly calmer now. Do you feel better?”

Rey nodded and took a moment to take in her surroundings. Jessika’s office was smaller, but tastefully decorated with a few small plants, a framed picture of her with a woman Rey assumed was her mate, and a painting of an omega wolf scenting her alpha wolf. Rey’s eyes lingered on the painting for a while, the image bringing a lump to her throat for reasons unknown.

“Yes, I’m quite fond of that painting too,” Jessika smiled knowingly. “There’s something beautiful about the similarities between us and our canid cousins.”

“They look so…contented. Like they’re in their own world where nothing matters but their mate,” Rey mused, dabbing at the traitorous tears trying to escape with her sleeve. She hugged the small pillow tighter to her chest, seeking comfort from the strange sensations the image instilled in her. Rey glanced towards Jessika and finally took notice of her necklace—a circle pendant containing two wolves’ profiles with a knotted heart linking them. “I take it you really like wolves,” Rey smiled.

Jessika’s thumb worried over the metal pendant as she returned the smile, “I feel a special connection to them. My wife and mate, Paige, is a researcher on wolf alpha/omega dynamics. We met through the services here. When we were getting to know each other, she told me everything about her research, probably way more than the average person would want to know, but I couldn’t help but listen to every word. She is very passionate about her work and the more I learned from her, the more I loved wolves and their relationships.”

“That’s amazing. I’m glad you were able to find your mate,” Rey smiled sincerely. “I’m truly hoping I will have some luck myself.”

“Well lucky for you, that’s why I’m here,” Jessika grinned. “So I guess, let’s begin if you are feeling ready! Do you have a preferred gender for a partner and do you have a preferred partner designation?”

 “I want an alpha partner,” Rey quickly answered.

Jessika chuckled at the fast response. “Excellent, I like a client who knows exactly what they want. But did you have a gender preference?”

“I think I’m mainly attracted to men, but I’m not against matching with women. Can you screen for both for compatibility?” she asked.

“Of course we can. It will open you to more possible matches,” she made a note on her clipboard. “Moving right along, could you tolerate a partner who smokes or partakes in recreational drug use?”

“I don’t have a problem with smoking, but I don’t think I would be okay with drug use. Drugs destroyed my parents lives from what I was told and I grew up in orphanages and foster homes as a result,” Rey answered with her gaze fixed squarely on the ground.

“I’m so sorry to hear that, Rey. Did you ever stay more permanently with a family?”

“I was never adopted if that’s what you mean,” she said quietly, slowly nuzzling into the blanket. “I raised myself. I put myself through college by applying for every scholarship I could find, and thankfully, I received several.”

“It sounds like you’ve had a difficult life,” Jessika frowned.

“It hasn’t been all bad. I like being able to take care of myself. It made me stronger. And I can truly say that everything I have achieved has been from my own blood, sweat, and tears,” Rey replied, finally bringing her gaze to meet Jessika’s.

“You are very strong, Rey. I admire your outlook and tenacity.”

“Thank you, Jessika,” Rey answered, allowing one of her built up tears to streak down her cheek.

 “Alright, ready to continue?” Jessika studied Rey until she saw a nod of assent. “Next is, what are your stances on marriage and children? Are these things you would eventually want from a partner?”

“Marriage is a definite yes. Children, I don’t want them immediately, but someday I would like to start a family,” a little color crept onto Rey’s cheeks as she caught herself cradling the pillow.

Jessika smiled, “Would you wish to be part of a polyamorous relationship?”

“I mean…I know what they are, but how would that work with alpha/omega dynamics? I thought there was a biological drive to mate for life.”

“That is typically the case,” Jessika nodded, “However, we have found that some paired couples, particularly our omega/omega or alpha/alpha couples, prefer to have a third partner. Most of the time, this person is a beta, but if the compatibility is there, any pairing combination is possible.”

“I see. Hmm…I’ve never been able to imagine myself with more than one partner at a time. And I think I am a hopeless romantic at heart, so I am going to say no, not for me.”

“Got it,” Jessika responded as she wrote down Rey’s preference. For the next 30 minutes, Jessika worked through the remaining questions which included:

  * Describe your ideal partner. **_Devoted, loving, strong._**
  * What is the single most important aspect for a relationship to be successful? **_Relationships do not work without trust._**
  * In a relationship, would sharing or sacrificing make you feel happier?
  * If you’re having a bad day, would you want a partner to leave you alone or spend time with you and cheer you up? **_I’ve spent enough time alone. Bring on the cheer._**
  * How many sexual partners have you had in the past? **_Just me, myself, and I._**
  * How important do you feel sexual chemistry is to a relationship? **_Considering I’m in this to find a compatible relationship And someone sexually compatible, pretty damn important._**



“Phew! You did it!” Jessika grinned.

“That’s a relief,” she sighed. “I’m not used to having anyone be so focused on me.”

“Well you’ll need to acclimate yourself to the idea, especially if you are looking for a devoted alpha partner. Particularly during heats, your every need is catered to by an alpha partner. Believe me, I know,” Jessika smiled knowingly at the picture of Paige.

“I’m not against the idea, it’s just new territory I suppose,” Rey chuckled.

“You’ll be just fine. And we are available for phone calls or emails whenever you have burning questions.”

“That’s wonderful, thank you,” Rey sighed. “So, what’s next?”

“It’s time for the pheromone collection. This phase takes around 50 minutes. You will be taking a blue omega-specified pheromone-amplification pill that will allow us to gather more potent, lasting scents. The rest of the process is fairly automated. You will be given collection bottles, cotton balls, and the video will help you with timing the collection of each sample. Just try to relax and it will be over before you know it.”

“Is there anything I should know or expect?” Rey worried.

“The pheromone-amplification pill will likely bring back some of those panicky feelings from when you first got here, but I will bring over the special chair that will keep you feeling warm, toasty, and safe.”

“Oh…okay,” Rey gulped.

“I need to go get the materials and drop of your compatibility results, so you may want to use the restroom right there before we get going,” she pointed.

“Ok, thanks,” Rey replied, rising from her chair to make her way to the restroom. Jessika gathered her clipboard and left Rey alone to attend to her business.

_This whole experience has been stranger than I ever could have imagined. But I feel well cared for. I feel like I’m being listened to. I just hope I find my mate_ she mused, anxiously biting her bottom lip.

Rey flushed, washed her hands, and returned to the office to find a tray on Jessika’s desk, a large black circular chair where hers had once been, and a waiting Jessika, smiling expectantly at her.

“Alright, Rey, if you’re ready, just take a seat here and I will get you started.”

Rey sat down into the massive chair that was enclosed on three sides, but as soon as she sat down, she was instantly warmed on all sides by what felt like a heating blanket. Jessika handed her a new soft blanket and pillow and gave her a minute to get settled in the chair. Rey felt extremely at peace and had to fight her eyelids from drooping.

“Good, now that you’re settled, here is your pheromone-amplification pill. Try to keep drinking water during the collection phase so that you do not get dehydrated.” Jessika lowered a tray table in front of Rey so that the collection bottles, cotton balls, and water were comfortably within reach. “I will press play on the sample collection video on my way out of the room. Just follow the directions and you will be finished in no time. In this container,” she gestured towards the tray, “You will find a dose of your normal suppressants. This will counteract the effects of the amplification pill and get you to your normal level of clarity and balance. Any questions?”

Rey shook her head, reached forward to take the amplification pill, and snuggled back into the comfort of the blanket nest. The comfort did not last incredibly long as the pill began to take effect. Rey could barely keep from scratching at the scent glands on her neck. “Is this normal?” she strained, trying to fight the urge to touch them.

“Yes it’s normal, but I’m sorry for the discomfort,” Jessika frowned. “I will leave you alone, but please press this call button if you need anything at all,” Jessika reassured her. “The video will show you everything you need to do.”

“Thank you,” Rey nodded, turning her attention the video that had just begun to play from the laptop on Jessika’s desk. Rey was able to follow the simple process of pressing the cotton balls against her scent glands for the times requested, placing them in the glass vials labeled with her ID number 41092, sealing the vials, and repeating for the remaining samples.

After 4 repetitions of left gland/right gland, the video instructed her to take the dose of her omega suppressant that had been provided on the tray and to finish the glass of water as she would need to replenish her fluids.

About the time she began to notice her pulse slowing, Jessika strode back into the room with another tray of glass vials. “You did so great, Rey! How are you feeling?” Jessika smiled.

“Better now actually. It’s strange, it’s like I have my mind back,” she mused.

“Good, that will be your suppressant dose kicking in then,” she moved forward to check Rey’s pulse again. “Excellent. We’re on to the last part of the day then. Would you like to move to a different chair?” she gazed at Rey knowingly.

Rey just noticed that she was unbearably warm, so she nodded and immediately moved to the chair next to the massive blanket nest. “I’m plenty warm now,” she chuckled.

“Okay, so now that we have your samples to store, I have brought out samples of the four alphas with whom you showed the highest compatibility matches. I have arranged them randomly. You just need to go down the line, smell the samples, and let me know which ones you do or do not like. Once you have picked one or possibly two, we will go from there. Are you ready?”

“Yes,” Rey eagerly replied.

“The floor is yours then,” Jessika gestured to the tray in front of Rey containing the four vials.

Rey picked up the vial closest to her, 29223, removed the stopper, and brought the bottle closer to her nose, inhaling deeply. She had to immediately fight the urge to throw it on the ground. _EWWWWW!!! This smells like…a litterbox filled with rotten fish! There’s no way in hell!_

Jessika retrieved the bottle from her and replaced the stopper. “Well, I think it’s safe to say the first one is a no,” she laughed. “I didn’t think this one smelled particularly nice either.”

“Stars, please don’t let them all be that horrible,” Rey gagged, reaching for the next vial labeled 30254. _Hmm…this one doesn’t smell bad, it’s just…a nice smell. Like flowers._ “Jessika, this one smells pleasant, but am I supposed to feel anything?” Rey questioned.

“If you scent someone biologically compatible, you will definitely feel something,” Jessika winked, taking the bottle from her. “I agree, this one does smell pleasant. But, if you didn’t get that feeling, we have more work to do.”

Rey nodded and picked up the third vial, 40236. _This one is just nice too. It reminds me of cinnamon._ “This one is making me the wrong kind of hungry,” Rey surmised.

Jessika laughed at her joke and also smelled the sample. “Hmm….It smells like cinnamon rolls. Which I also would be very interested in eating, but you’re right, you don’t want to fu…uhhh… mate with a cinnamon roll.”

Rey giggled at her lapse of professionalism, “You’re fine. I swear like a sailor,” Rey grinned, reaching for the last bottle, 1218. All at once, every coherent thought in Rey’s brain vanished, only to be replaced with… _Oh…my…god. Oh my god. Ohmygod._ Rey felt her core tighten and flutter in response to the strong, heady scent that reminded her of sandalwood, warmth, honey, and comfort. She lost herself in fantasies of being mated to the alpha whose scent she held, breathing them in deeply every day, and covering herself in their scent as a constant source of comfort.

She was broken from her reverie by Jessika staring intently at her. “Interesting,” she pondered.

“What’s interesting?” Rey asked, still nuzzling the bottle against her cheek.

“Well, I was hesitant to bring out this sample because it is long past our typical storage and disposal timeframe. However, the alpha was one of our first clients and our protocols were different back then. We have not been able to get an answer from them about whether we can dispose of their samples.”

“How long have you had their samples?”

“…ten years.”

“What?!” Rey gasped. “They have been waiting for ten years?!” her eyes filled with tears at the thought of her mate all alone in the universe.

Jessika nodded sadly. “It doesn’t happen often, but we unfortunately have been unable to locate their potential mate. Until now it would seem,” Jessika glanced at her curiously.

“I can’t imagine any other alpha smelling more right than this,” she sighs, inhaling the intoxicating scent again and again.

“You were able to scent this?” Jessika said with wonder. “I do an initial test before I bring the samples out to make sure the samples are still detectable, and I couldn’t smell anything at all for 1218. I brought it as a test just because the compatibility portion was matched so high.”

“You can’t smell this?!” Rey stammered. “It’s the most incredible thing I have ever experienced. Please, Jessika, I have to meet them,” she began to cry tears of desperation.

“Shh shh…calm down, Rey. It will be alright. Let me take these other samples out and retrieve the file for 1218. Will you be okay alone for a moment?” Jessika studied her.

“Yes,” Rey sniffled.

“Okay, I’ll be right back,” Jessika gathered the items and dashed towards her door.

_My poor mate_ Rey’s omega mourned. _How have you gotten by these ten years? Clearly you’re older than I am for being in the system so long. I’m sorry you had to wait for me to come of age_ the tears continued to fall down her cheeks. She found herself wandering back over to the nesting chair, surrounding herself once again in comforting blankets and now the scent of her potential mate. _Please come find me_ she sobbed to herself.

After what seemed like an eternity, Jessika strode back into the office with a folder and a notepad that looked to be thoroughly scribbled on. She took in the state of Rey curled up in the chair and hurried over to comfort her. “Rey, I have everything now. Are you ready to talk or do you need another moment?”

Rey sniffled again and tried to sit more upright in the chair, however, she would not abandon her blanket. “Yes, I’m ready,” she finally nodded.

“So, I had to do a bit of digging because the person who provided these samples now goes by a different name. I had to call around to previous employers to figure out where I could get in touch with them and under what new name. Are you ready to know?” she cautioned.

“Yes, please tell me,” Rey leaned forward, anxious to hear any news.

“Your potential mate is a male and goes by the name Kylo. He is thirty years old and is a native of Chandrila. According to my research, he is still unmated and is not currently in a relationship. Would you like for me to contact him to arrange a meeting this evening or tomorrow?”

“Please, this evening if he can. I have to meet him,” the tears began again.

“Ok, one minute and I will dial him,” she patted Rey’s arm before rising to sit on her side of the desk. Jessika reached for the phone receiver, dialed the number scrawled on her notepad, and drummed her fingers absentmindedly on the desk while waiting for a response.

…

…

…

“Yes, is this Mr. Ren?” she paused. “This is Jessika Pava-Tico from Scentilations Incorporated. How are you tod—” she was cut off. Rey studied her bewildered expression as she attempted to regain footing in the conversation.

…

…

“Mr. Ren, you misunderstand, I’m not calling about your samples being disposed. I—”

…

…

“No, I—MR. REN!” Rey startled at the change of tone in Jessika’s voice. “I understand you have your concerns, but I am calling with very good news. We have located your mate!” Rey’s heart started beating faster and a blush crept onto her cheeks from being called his mate.

…

…

“I am completely serious, Mr. Ren. I am looking at her right this very moment. Her name is Rey, she is 22 years old, and she is incredibly lovely,” Jessika winked at her. “She is very interested in meeting you. Would you be able to come by sometime this evening for a meeting?”

…

…

“8:00?” Jessika’s gaze questioned Rey. Upon seeing her nod, Jessika continued, “Yes, 8:00 will work perfectly. Do you—oh…” she placed her hand over the microphone, “He wants to talk to you, is that okay?”

Rey nodded eagerly, accepting the phone handset from Jessika. She gathered her courage, took a deep breath and said “Hello? This is Rey.”

“Rey…” a deep voice breathed in wonder. “Please tell me you are real.”

“The last time I checked, I was real,” she smiled.

“I just…I can’t believe I’m finally talking to you. I gave up hope ages ago,” she heard his breath catch, trying not to choke on his own emotion.

“I’m sorry I kept you waiting,” she began to cry.

“None of that matters now. Now I just have to get through the rest of this miserable day until I can see you. Oh, stars, please let me see you,” she closed her eyes, letting the sound of his low voice caress her.

“I will see you tonight, K…Kylo,” she responded. “I can’t wait to meet you.”

“Until then, my mate,” he said softly, sending a shiver of pleasure down Rey’s spine.

Rey handed Jessika the phone handset and took stock of her emotions. Her face felt like it was on fire, burning a fearsome, flushed pink from his words. Jessika grinned at her, “I take it you both are excited to meet?”

“Yes,” Rey breathed. “I have to meet him. I have to understand what’s happening to me.”

“Alpha and omega relationships are incredibly intense, especially if there are both types of compatibility present, so just prepare yourself for that. You may find yourself saying things you ordinarily would not say and acting on new impulses, but if you are comfortable and not scared, you have nothing to worry about. These relationships are perfectly normal and you do not have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. You are still in control. An alpha’s ultimate desire is to please and take care of their omega, so your alpha should not do anything that would displease you. Do you have any questions I can answer?”

Rey paused, considering Jessika’s words. “How soon is too soon to act on anything?”

“You mean physically?” Rey nodded. “Hm… Rey that is entirely your decision. From our talks, it sounded as though you do not have any past experience with a partner, so I would just recommend listening to your body for clues about what you want. If you meet tonight and want to take things slowly, that is your choice. If you meet tonight and immediately want to, pardon me, ‘get a room,’ then that also is your choice. You did indicate that you’re not ready for children, so you may want to prepare yourself with some birth control options just in case.”

“Yeah…I guess I won’t know until I’m there how I will be feeling,” she considered. “And I get the birth control shots, so I should be good to go either way. Thank you so much, Jessika. You have been amazing. Everything about today has been and will be new to me, so thank you for getting me through this.”

Jessika grinned and reached to shake her hand again. “I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting you, Rey. Enjoy tonight, trust your instincts, and…”

“And?” Rey tilted her head in confusion.

“Go get some!” Jessika winked.

Rey returned her grin and practically floated from her office, euphoria beginning to settle in as she left the building.

_Kylo Ren, I hope you’re ready to meet this hopeless romantic._

* * *

 

Inspirations from this chapter:

Jessika's painting: <https://www.etsy.com/shop/PaintingMania>

Jessika's Necklace: <https://www.silvermoongalleria.com/>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your kind words and response to this story!
> 
> I apologize for being so slow to update. I had surgery a few weeks back and recovery has been difficult. I have not felt well enough to sit at my computer and type, but many thanks to all the amazing Reylo authors on AO3 who have kept me sane and entertained with their stories as I have healed. I believe I have read more fics the past two months than I have in my entire life! 
> 
> Thank you again for your feedback!
> 
> Come say hi on my new currently empty Tumblr:  
> https://soramimi-keki.tumblr.com


	4. The Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into Ben's life five years after his Scentilations consult.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all!
> 
> Thank you for your amazing comments and incredibly sweet messages of encouragement! I am feeling much better and truly appreciate your kind words! 
> 
> I started writing Rey and Ben's meeting chapter last week and it felt extremely flat without knowing more about Ben and his experiences pre-Rey. So if you'll forgive me, I wanted to post this chapter first to add some depth to our favorite couple's meeting in the next chapter (which I truly hope to also have up this week!)
> 
> There are possible triggers in this chapter, so please heed them going in. Thanks! -Mimi
> 
> Warnings: Attempted sexual assault; highly manipulative family members

 

_ October 25: 5 Years Ago _

Leia Organa-Solo sat in her brother Luke Skywalker’s office at Resistance Publishing with her head resting firmly in her hands. _I can’t do this. I can’t do this._ Leia and Luke were two of the most opiniated and strong-willed people in the world, but this time, Luke had her beaten down.

“It’s the only way, Leia. It’s unnatural for him to still be unmated. He just needs a push,” Luke stated matter-of-factly.

“This push could hurt him, hurt someone else, and break his trust forever if he ever finds out,” Leia grimaced, glaring at the _Luke Skywalker—Art Director_ nameplate on his desk.

“This is what is best for him. It’s clear now he is not going to take matters into his own hands. The boy is 25 and he’s never so much as taken someone on a date! Is he even interested in the idea of it?!”

“Yes, I truly believe he is,” Leia murmured. “Ben has a good heart and loves the idea of love and finding a mate. I couldn’t think of a better editor to head up our romance division because of his strong ideals.”

“But that’s the problem, sis,” Luke sighed, shaking his head in frustration, “They’re ideals! He enjoys work so much and never gets his nose out of the books because he doesn’t have any motivation to get out there!”

“You do know he sent his samples to that compatibility company, right?”

“Five years ago! I haven’t even heard of these companies failing to find a match for a client. Yet last I heard, the only calls he gets from them are to get permission to destroy his samples. 8 to 9 months tops is the norm for these places to hold onto scents. So surely that’s a lost cause too! He is no longer doing anything about it!” Luke fumed, pacing around his office.

“Can you think of no other way?” Leia pleaded.

“We could try searching for people around his age, but we don’t even know whether he is attracted to women or men, alphas, omegas, none of it! The boy has no experience! It’s dangerous to just randomly put two alphas together, regardless of gender…”

“Tell me about it,” Leia coldly regarded her fellow alpha brother.

“…and it’s nearly impossible to identify omegas today unless they have chosen to live off suppressants. And who’s to say he doesn’t jump ship completely and find a beta like you did,” Luke ranted.

“And what is wrong with him doing that, exactly?” Leia rose to her feet, a growl beginning to build in her throat.

“I didn’t mean it like that, Leia,” Luke said sheepishly, having the sense to avert his direct gaze, “I just…”

“I for one am pretty damn curious what you meant,” Han Solo questioned, leaning casually against the doorframe. He exchanged a quick wink with his wife and continued to stare with interest at Luke.

“It’s just…it’s not the way things are usually done,” Luke finished lamely.

“Oh? And why’s that exactly? Alpha females have been able to get knocked up for years now thanks to the miracles of modern medicine. Even by inferior betas, like me. Unless…honey, is there something you need to tell me about Ben?” Han turned his gaze to Leia in mock-horror.

A laugh began in Leia’s throat despite herself. “You only wish, you old scoundrel. That boy is too much like you to be denied.”

For once, Luke stayed silent, knowing that soon, the battle would begin.

“Listen, I should have learned a long time ago to stay out of the famous Skywalker twin fistfights, but I can’t just sit idly by while you two do something insanely stupid,” Han said dryly, “Especially when it concerns my son.”

“Han, we have been discussing this at length for weeks. Alpha blockers, especially the type Ben takes, numb and kill off any feelings of desire. Even if he ran across someone on the street, his meds block any sort of natural response. How can he find someone, fall in love, and find a mate if he has all but chemically castrated himself?!” Luke growled angrily.

“I’m more worried that he has never followed the doctor’s guidance to ween off blockers every few months to regulate his endocrine system. Even I did that as a young alpha. I’m worried about the long-term effects of staying on the blockers,” Leia nervously chewed her bottom lip.

“So what is your grand plan, exactly?” Han huffed in annoyance. “Mess with his blockers in the hopes that he conveniently scents someone he wants to be with once they are out of his system?”

“Essentially, yes,” Luke replied.

“I’m not okay with tricking him. Haven’t you tried to talk to him, a good ol’ alpha-to-alpha pep talk?”

“We did,” Leia answered despondently. “He doesn’t see the big deal. He put all his hopes into that compatibility service and it’s like he’s just shut himself down from hoping anymore.”

“But, princess…” Han gently gripped her shoulder, “Ben…he’ll never forgive us.”

“If it means he finds his mate and can learn to hope again, his trust is something I’m willing to sacrifice,” Leia turned her head to hide the tears welling up.

Han crossed the room to pull his headstrong wife into an embrace. He gently kissed the top of her head and turned to glare at Luke. “If this is something that you believe in and that you, Leia, feel is best, I won’t stand in the way,” he sighed.

“Thank you,” she whispered, allowing the tears to finally fall.

Luke crossed the room to retrieve a pill bottle from his desk drawer. “Well, now that we’re finally in agreement, I will handle the logistics.”

* * *

 

_To:[benjamin.solo@resistance.org](mailto:benjamin.solo@resistance.org)_

_Fr:[snoke_richardm@firstorder.com](mailto:snoke_richardf@firstorder.com) _

_Tuesday, November 9 at 7:32pm_

_Subject: Re: Position Opening_

_Mr. Solo,_

 

_I was rather hoping my invitations would warrant some sort of response from you. As I have stated, I still believe your talents are being squandered at Resistance Publishing and would like to once again offer you the position of Chief Editor at First Order._

_I am prepared to offer you a 75% salary increase and the opportunity to work from home as needed. As Chief Editor, you would oversee the manuscripts for all our divisions._

_Please consider my offer and let me know by the month’s end whether or not you accept._

 

_Respectfully,_

 

_Richard F. Snoke_

_Publisher, First Order_

* * *

 

 ** _Ugh…when will this creep leave me alone?_** Ben sighed, filing another email in his trash folder. He had received what felt like five million emails from First Order, the cutthroat competitor to Resistance Publishing. Though First Order tried and tried, they had never been able to reach the levels of success seen with Leia at the helm of her own company.

He started to reach for a copy-edited manuscript that had been placed in his inbox earlier when he heard a familiar knock on his office door.

“Hey, mom,” he sighed without looking up.

“Hey, yourself,” Leia huffed. “I believe it was time to close up shop over two hours ago.”

“I know, I’m shutting down now.”

Leia fixed her son with her signature, knowing glare and eyed the manuscript in his hand. “Good, but that stays.”

“I have to look over this and meet with the author at lunch tomorrow to talk about the revisions,” he grumbled.

“It will be here in the morning. Go on, get!” she shooed him away from his desk.

“Fine,” he sighed. “I’m going to file this away and THEN, yes mother, I will go home.”

Leia assessed her son. “Are you feeling okay, son?”

“Just stressed. A lot of deadlines to meet this week. Healthy as a horse.”

“Okay…just don’t get overworked. See you tomorrow. I love you.”

“I know,” Ben winked. “Love you too.”

After Leia departed, Ben set to putting his messy office in order. Things tended to get chaotic during the day with his pages of notes, revision copies, copy-edited manuscripts, and calendars littering every available surface, but he liked coming back in the morning tidied up, organized, and ready to take on the day.

One of their authors was working on revisions for their epic romance novel set during the time of the Jedi and the Sith and Ben was inspired during their meeting to pen some of the referenced Jedi texts in calligraphy in the margins. It had been a long time since he felt stirred enough to put his penmanship to use. He smiled as he carefully placed his work in one of his desk drawers for safekeeping.

Ben righted himself and prepared to stand, but a wave of dizziness suddenly overwhelmed him. He sank to the ground, powerless against the blood pounding in his head. **_What’s going on?_** he whimpered. The sides of his neck, approximately where his scent glands were, felt tight and uncomfortable—a burning heat spreading from there to the rest of his body.

Ben gasped, the staggering, unexpected heat continuing to course through him. He desperately rose to his feet, seizing the half-empty bottle of water from his desk and downing it in a few short gulps. **_Get home, you moron_** Ben berated himself. Grabbing his keys and coat, he abandoned his messy office to flee towards the safety of home.

* * *

As he pushed his way outside the Resistance Publishing building, Ben felt the uncomfortable fire that had been stoked in his office reach the level of a blazing inferno. The freezing night air did not provide the relief he so craved. He staggered against the exterior wall to his left, heaving to catch his breath. **_What the hell is the matter with me?_** he panted. **_Come on, you jackass. Only two more blocks and you’re home._**

Feeling emboldened by his own words, Ben continued slowly on his way home, trying not to think about the painful waves emanating from his glands. Suddenly, he scented the air on pure instinct and caught a glimpse of… ** _Omega…_** He glanced in the direction of the strong, heady scent and spied a woman around his own age with long dark hair around 10 yards away from him. She was bundled up against the cold and he couldn’t help but notice the way her hair masked the glands on each side of her neck, hiding them from the world.

Ben felt his adrenaline spike on confirming the woman’s designation. He felt himself growing uncomfortably hard and the heat radiating from his glands roared in response. The woman was a mere 5 yards away when she scented the nearby aroused alpha. Panic flooded her features, her eyes wide in fright.

“Omega,” Ben said quietly, knowing the woman could hear him.

“Y…yes, alpha?” she replied, her large eyes lowering.

“Come closer,” he commanded, the heat within him intensifying.

“I…I…” she stammered, trying to back away slowly. Her steps faltered, and she slowly began to approach him. Despite her terrified reaction, Ben could scent her arousal, immediately picking up on her primal response to his presence.

“Shh…come to me, omega. I can tell you are so close to your heat. Please, let me take care of you,” he purred, extending his hand to her. **_What the fuck?! Stop!!!_** he screamed inwardly.

The omega nodded and tentatively placed her hand in his. Securing his grasp, Ben took off in a sprint, dragging her behind him into the darkened alleyway near his apartment building, earning a yelp of surprise from the startled omega.

Ben grabbed her around her waist and walked them back towards the alley’s brick wall. The omega whimpered as his hands rose towards her chest to unbutton her tweed peacoat. He felt her own warmth radiating from the skin that was just a few layers away from being in his grasp. He nuzzled the hair above her ear, deeply inhaling her rich scent.

“Omega…” he whispered in her ear, placing light kisses down the side of her neck as he ground his agonizing hardness against her belly, desperately seeking relief. His actions elicited another whimper from the omega, who shook with fright as he continued to grind against her.

His hands snaked downwards to form manacles around her wrists, pinning them roughly against the wall near her head as his lips moved closer towards the scent gland on the left side of her neck. Just as his teeth began to graze against the sensitive flesh, Ben felt her tense up and shout, “NO! Please! Stop! I have a boyfriend!” at the same time he berated himself with a **_GET THE FUCK OFF HER, NOW!!!_ ** Her body slackened as she was overcome with shamed sobs.

Despite the pitiable sight before him, Ben could not stop the unquenchable heat that tormented him. His grip on her wrists tightened and he closed the distance between their hips once again. **_YOU FUCKING DIPSHIT! STOP!!!_** Ben broke through the haze. “What—what’s your name?!” Ben stammered.

“Wha—?” she sobbed.

“Your name!!! Please, what is it?!” he bellowed, practically sobbing himself.

“Ma….Marianne,” she choked out.

“Marianne, no words will ever be enough to apologize for what I have done tonight. This is not who I am.”

“…No?”

“No it’s not. I need you to be brave, Marianne. Can you do that?”

“W—what do you mean?” she cried.

“You have to get as far away from me as you can. I don’t know how much longer I can stay in control. So as soon as I let go, I need you to kick me as hard as you possibly can and run like hell away from me. Do you understand?”

“I understand.”

“Okay,” he panted, “Three…two…one…GO!”

Ben felt a jolting pain as, true to her word, she kicked him as hard as she could manage in the stomach and ran away as fast as she could. He doubled over in pain, struggling to catch his breath as he slowly made his way towards the safety of his apartment.

* * *

 

_9:37pm: Mom, not coming in tomorrow. Something wrong with my meds. I think my rut started._

_9:38pm: OMG! Are you alone?_

_9:38pm: Yes_

_9:38pm: Don’t worry! You will get through this! Try cool showers, drink plenty of water_

_9:39pm: Yeah yeah_

_9:39pm: And masturbate. A lot. There’s no shame in it, son_

_9:39pm: And this conversation is now over. Goodnight_

_9:40pm: Night, Ben. I’ll enter your work leave for you_

_9:40pm: Thanks_

 

For the next three days, Ben did all that was suggested by his mother. He masturbated to fend off each wave of arousal every 30-45 minutes. When his dick felt raw and abused, his cold showers made his teeth chatter like a cartoon character, but they did provide momentary relief from his rut.

In his moments of clarity free from the haze of hormones and pheromones, Ben agonized over the mystery omega he assaulted—his actions a stark violation of every virtue and ideal he held dear. When these moments dissipated, Ben fought with his alpha, who kept insisting that the omega Marianne accepted his advances.

_She wanted you. You could smell how much she wanted you._

**_That may be, but she withdrew her consent. She told me no, I told myself no, and I still assaulted her._ **

_It’s perfectly natural._

**_No. Absolutely not. Alphas must take care of their mates. That is not done through fear, biological coercion, and brute force._ **

Even the alpha could not come up with a response to that.

* * *

As soon as his rut ended, Ben dressed himself, called a taxi, and made his way towards Chandrila General’s emergency room. **_I have to understand how and why this could have happened._**

After a full barrage of scans, fluid samples, and an eternity of waiting, an old family friend Dr. Kanata entered the exam room carrying Ben’s chart.

“Benjamin,” the older woman beamed at him.

“Hi, Maz,” he replied quietly.

“Hmm…I see we’re not feeling particularly chatty today, so let’s get down to it then. I have all your results back, but first, what brought you in today? What concerns you?”

“I…I was getting ready to go home three days ago, and what I’m pretty damn sure was my rut started.”

“Yes, well, I expect this was your first rut, as you were so adamant about staying on your blockers,” she frowned disapprovingly. “I hope you weened off of your blockers to trigger it.”

“That’s what I don’t understand. I haven’t missed a single dose. I wasn’t trying to trigger anything, Maz. My rut started, I got overwhelmed, and I…I…assaulted an omega woman on my way home,” he choked out, tears of shame welling up in his eyes.

“Oh, Ben,” Maz gasped, reaching for his hand. “Tell me about it.”

“I didn’t bite her or claim her in any way, but I scared the shit out of her, probably bruised her wrists and arms with my vice grip, smelled her, and kissed her neck. Oh…not to mention the dry humping,” he sobbed in embarrassment.

“So, what happened?” Maz breathed.

“I came to my fucking senses! I told her to kick me as hard as possible and run the hell away from me.”

“It’s curious that you were able to hold yourself back. An alpha’s first rut, particularly after being held back for so long, may as well be a weapon of mass destruction.”

“I’m just relieved I didn’t hurt her any more than I did. But that poor girl, I scared her, she told me she had a boyfriend. I could have irreparably ruined her life,” he bitterly choked out. “Hell, it’s still possible I did.”

“Shh…Ben, you came to your senses and helped her escape. In those circumstances, that was the best thing you could have done. Now, let’s check your chart and see what is going on,” Maz said steadily, her unusually large eyes roving over his files. “Interesting…” she mused. “Your blood toxicology panel is not showing any trace of your blockers, so you have not had a dose in more than a week. Your urinalysis shows them, but these are typically visible on your panel for 3 to 4 weeks after the last dose. I would guess that you have not taken any for 1 to 3 weeks.”

“But, I take them every day. I don’t understand.”

“Do you have your pills with you?”

“Yes, here,” he replied, pulling the bottle from his pocket.

Maz pulled a single pill from the bottle and placed it next to a pill gathered from a bottle in her own pocket. She studied every facet of the pills with a set of large magnifying lenses attached to her huge black-rimmed glasses. “As I thought. The pills you are taking are not your blockers. They are sugar pills.”

“Bu…but how?” Ben stammered.

“Someone tampered with your pills,” Maz replied sadly.

* * *

Ben hastily got a ride to Resistance Publishing, eager to discuss what happened with his mother. Maz had gotten him re-started on his blockers with the reassurance that his rut would not begin again until he stopped taking the pills. Ben hurried through the hallways, past meeting rooms, break rooms, and offices until he made it to Leia’s door.

He prepared to knock when he heard his uncle Luke’s voice booming from the other side. “What do you mean he was alone?! This whole thing hinged on him finding a mate!”

“Well, he didn’t. And I am done with this,” Leia fumed. “I have never heard him sound more despondent, more scared, and we did that to him!”

Ben gasped, bile rising in his throat as he absorbed the extent of his family’s betrayal. **_So…they did this to me. I harmed an innocent woman because my fucking family can’t mind their own fucking business?!_** Ben whirled around, practically running towards his own office on the other side of the building. As soon as his office door was closed securely behind him, Ben grabbed a pillow from the couch in his sitting area and screamed until he was hoarse. When that did not calm the waves of fury, he smashed his shelves, tearing his desk apart and scattering the contents everywhere.

After a while, when he had tired himself completely out, Ben sat at his desk, paged his assistant, asked that he not be disturbed for the rest of the day, and collapsed in a heap of tears. **_Why would they do this to me? They didn’t think I was man enough? That I was alpha enough? What the fuck did I do to deserve that? What the fuck did that omega do to deserve it?_**

Knowing what he had to do, Ben pulled up his email account, retrieved Snoke’s last email from earlier in the week, and typed out his acceptance of the position with First Order, effective in one week. The deed completed, Ben set to putting his office back in order. He had just a bit more work to do before he could escape from under the Skywalkers’ thumbs.

* * *

A few days later, Ben was at home preparing his dinner when he heard a knock on his door. Checking the peephole, he was unsurprised to see his father. Opening the door, he motioned him inside.

“Your mom would really like it if you would call her. She hasn’t been able to get in touch with you,” Han sighed.

“For good reason,” Ben sneered.

“I came to see if you knew anything about this,” Han continued. “This week alone, 6 of the most prestigious authors I represent, all of whom have contracts with Resistance Publishing, found the same exact loophole in their contracts and are demanding an out. Why would that be?”

“Perhaps they were told about a better offer,” Ben shrugged.

“That’s bullshit, and you know it, kid,” Han grumbled.

“No, sir, what’s bullshit is this family,” he snarled.

“…So, you found out, then,” Han whispered, the pieces of the puzzle finally falling into place.

“Of course I fucking found out,” Ben half-laughed. “I have never been more scared or ashamed in my life, and then I come to find out, my own mother, father, and uncle were behind it. Well congratulations, if you wanted me to be an alpha and to man up, you got your wish. I accepted the Chief Editor job with First Order and I am presenting Richard “The Dick” Snoke with our 6 highest-grossing authors as an onboarding show of good faith,” he finished.

A look of pure horror overcame Han’s features. “Son, this is your family you will be hurting if you do this.”

“It’s already done. I lost my family when they decided to go too far in trying to ‘make me happy’ and interfered in my personal life. I have no family anymore. Please leave, Mr. Solo,” he growled.

Han stepped towards Ben, his hand rising to cup his face, Ben’s face contorting between grief and fury at the physical contact. “I’m so sorry, son, but please think about what your actions will mean,” he paused as Ben’s fists tightly clenched at his sides. “I love you, Ben,” he whispered, trying with whatever influence he still had to stare into his son’s soul.

Han could see the torment and rage behind Ben’s eyes as he stepped away from his touch. “I…don’t…care,” he said quietly, gesturing towards the door.

Han’s head fell in defeat as the door closed behind him. On the other side of the same door, the broken man who was Benjamin Solo sobbed as he buried himself in a graveyard of abandoned hopes and mislaid trust. When the man rose, ready at last to move forward, he instead called himself Kylo Ren.

* * *

_ Present Day _

Richard Snoke was an observant man. One could not head the most successful publishing house in Chandrila without keenly observing the comings and goings of each department and their leaders. His prize possession was a machine of a man, his dutiful Chief Editor. He finally won Kylo Ren five years ago after he had a falling out with Resistance Publishing, the company his own mother ran. Snoke had yearned after Ren for years, craving his talent and knowledge of the editorial world. To this day, he did not know what tipped the scales in his favor, but treachery of the most deplorable kind had to have occurred for a man to abandon his family and completely change his name.

He had sneered when young Ben Solo informed him of his name change—the boy said it was a combination of some of his favorite science fiction characters’ names—yet he took it in stride. As long as he owned Ren, he couldn’t give two shits what he decided to call himself.

On this afternoon, he had tried in vain to get in touch with Ren for updates on the editorial schedule. When he did not answer, he called Ren’s pitiable assistant.

“HUX!” he bellowed. “Why is Ren not answering? I need him!”

Snoke rolled his eyes as the quivering man sputtered out a stream of sincere apologies and regrets. “He has been on the phone for a few moments, sir. Shall I have him call you when he is finished?” Hux gulped.

“Yes, I suppose, but let him know immediately!” he snarled.

“Oh yes, sir. I most certainly w—” Snoke hung up the phone before the ass-kissing continued.

He rose from his desk to view the sea of cubicles and office spaces beneath him. From his vantage point, he could view the comings, goings, and activities of each department. Turning his gaze to the editorial department, he located Ren on the phone at his desk. He seemed to be having a heated conversation with someone, as anger was etched in his features.

After a few moments, something curious happened—Ren’s gaze softened. The manner in which he spoke so drastically shifted. He appeared to be awestruck by whatever was being said. Finally, Snoke spied a smile—a genuine smile—on his machine of an employee. In all his years knowing Ren, he had never seen a smile like that—a smile that stayed with him after the phone call ended. For Snoke suddenly realized with a sinking feeling that he had just witnessed the smile of a man in love.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first A/B/O fic, so please be gentle!


End file.
